There’s a certain kind of hush that only arrives in late December.
It is the quietest turning point of the year. The moment when the light begins its slow return. A sacred pause. An invitation to soften, to listen, and to realign with what truly matters.
The Winter Solstice offers us a powerful opportunity for a spiritual reset. A time to reflect on the year behind us, gently release old patterns and beliefs that no longer serve, and create space for clarity, intention, and renewal. When we consciously meet this moment, we can step into the New Year feeling lighter, steadier, and more connected to our inner truth.
As we move through the longest nights and least sunlight of the year, it’s natural for our bodies, minds, and emotions to feel the shift.
Not the noisy hush of “we’re closed now, finally,” but the deeper one.
The one that lives in the hedgerows, the dark water, the bare branches, the long shadows. The world isn’t broken. It’s resting.
That’s the Winter Solstice.
The shortest day. The longest night. The turning point.
And what I love about it is this:
The Solstice doesn’t demand you do anything to earn the return of light. There’s no performance review. No KPI. No proving. Just a simple truth written into the bones of the earth:
After the deepest dark, the days begin to lengthen.
Not dramatically. Not overnight. But faithfully.
A minute at a time.
That alone is a balm for the modern leader’s nervous system.
Because this time of year symbolises something most founders and executives have forgotten how to trust: the pause is productive.
Not the kind of pause where you’re “resting” while secretly strategising, scrolling, or worrying. The real pause. The Stillpoint. The quiet centre where your system can exhale and your inner compass can speak.
I’ve spent years watching brilliant people treat winter like an inconvenience. They see it as something to push through with caffeine, grit, and a brave face.
But winter isn’t a problem to solve. It’s a season to honour.
Nature doesn’t apologise for dormancy. Seeds don’t rush. Trees don’t panic. The river doesn’t force spring. They yield. They recalibrate. They conserve what matters.
And honestly? That’s leadership.
This is the moment to stop demanding constant output from yourself and your team, as if humans are machines and creativity is a tap you can keep running without consequence. If you’re feeling tired, foggy, tender, unusually reflective, well, that’s not weakness. That’s your biology, your psyche, and your soul asking for a different pace.
Clarity always lands after stillness.
The Solstice is a reminder that your most strategic move may be to stand still long enough to hear what’s true.
The Business Translation (without ruining the magic)
If you lead a business, you already know the temptation: “I’ll rest after this quarter.” But the quarter ends, and the next thing begins, and suddenly your life is a series of sprints with no finish line.
The Solstice offers a better rhythm:
- Pause before you plan. (Not after.)
- Listen before you push.
- Let the next step land cleanly.
The pause is where the best decisions are born. Not from urgency, but from alignment.
You don’t need a new strategy when your system is in survival mode. It would be felt as overwhelm and another “something” your mind says won’t work. You need a settled internal climate so your strategy can be intelligent.
Remember, Your breath controls your nervous system. Your nervous system controls your brain. Your brain controls how you lead, think, decide and perform.
So, if you’re “doing all the right things” but it feels heavy, chaotic, or strangely joyless… it may not be a business problem.
It may be a “light” problem.
Not the external kind, but the internal kind. The kind that returns when you stop forcing and start trusting the cycle.
A Small Solstice Practice For Leaders
Nothing complicated. No incense or chanting required (unless you fancy it).
Today, give yourself five quiet minutes.
- Sit somewhere you can see the sky, even if it’s grey.
- Breathe through your nose, let your jaw unclench.
- Ask this one simple question: “What wants to return to me?”
Not what needs fixing. Not what needs hustling. What wants to return?
Maybe it’s your patience. Your creativity. Your steadiness. Your sense of meaning. Your capacity to feel close to people again.
This is the season of what I call tempered gold and it is forged in silence. It’s not flashy, nor frantic. Just strong, warm, and real.
And Here’s The Hopeful Part:
You don’t have to see the whole road. You just have to remember that the light returns gradually and reliably. And so do you.
The View Always Returns.
So, if you’re in a darker stretch, take heart. The turning is already happening. A minute at a time.
Contact me to discover more about human and organisational alignment, the power of energetic flow, reclaiming your inner power. I hold masterclasses, small group training and private advisory where I share a unique perspective on power, human and organisational energy, presence and influence that affect your affluence.
Love. Gail.